


Emergency Understudies

by AllegroCrescendo



Series: Fast Times at Angeles High [5]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda, Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Accidental Double Date, All of Hamilton is freaking used, Alternate Universe - Actors, Alternate Universe - High School, As in my own life, But there's subtle things in here that, Drama kids, F/M, Foreshadowing, Generous use of theatre terms, Guang-Hong plays Peggy for reasons, Hamilton Lyrics, Hamilton References, Inspired by Real Events, It's kinda a crossover, It's mainly for my own amusement, Kinda, Leo and Guang-Hong are relationship goals, M/M, Musicians, Oblivious Heartbreaker Katsuki Yuuri, Skateboarding, Supportive Victor Nikiforov, Thespains, They're putting on hamilton, This fanfic may seem kinda ridiculous, actually, i suck at tagging oops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-11 01:05:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11138172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllegroCrescendo/pseuds/AllegroCrescendo
Summary: Guang-Hong's theatre class runs into an unexpected problem and it's up to him to save their production.__________“And Peggy!” The actress sang. Viktor's brows shot up at the singing and he heard Leo choke on his saliva a seat away from him. He glanced over at the teen, who had his eyes trained on the youngest Schuyler Sister. It was only when the actor kept singing did Viktor notice the use of falsetto. Upon closer inspection of the actress’s singing by his musically trained ear, Viktor came to the conclusion that the actress was actually an actor. A boy was playing Peggy.“That’s Guang,” Leo muttered and Viktor turned to look at him. The poor teen had his eyes locked on the character and Viktor smiled. The mystery of the disappearing Guang-Hong solved.“You can’t seriously think that,” Yuuri said to Leo.“Look at those freckles. I know my boyfriend’s freckles.” Leo laughed in disbelief.





	Emergency Understudies

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm going to put in most of the technical terms I can remember putting in for everyone who isn't a theatre geek.
> 
> Hamilton: An American Musical is a musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda that revolves around the life of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. If you haven't heard of it/heard it, the entire soundtrack is on YouTube.
> 
> Props: Items that are used on stage to support story-telling.
> 
> The Scottish Play and its ritual: The Scottish Play is Shakespeare's _Macbeth_ and theatre superstition has it that even muttering its name in the theatre can bring misfortune to the production. The ritual is said to save the show. Go outside, spin in a circle and spit on the floor before reciting a line from Shakespeare's _A Midsummer Night's Dream_
> 
> Ensemble: The background characters to any play/musical when not referring to the cast as a whole.
> 
> Stage Manager: The Director's right-hand man in charge of making sure the show runs fluidly. 
> 
> Mezzo-Soprano- The lowest range for a female singing voice. 
> 
> Flat Sixth- A really sexy note in blues music. 
> 
> Soprano- A high range, usually sung by female or young, pre-pubescent men. 
> 
> Falsetto- A technique used to reach higher notes. Look up Mitch Grassi from Pentatonix. My favorite. His voice is who I imagine Guang-Hong's like. His falsetto is on point.
> 
> Countertenor: The male counterpart to a mezzo-soprano
> 
> Tech crew: The people in charge of lights, props, curtains, and a majority of the set buildings 
> 
> Hair and makeup: Crew in charge of the actor's appearance. Actor's makeup is very different from everyday makeup because, under the lights, they tend to look funny. 
> 
> Christine: From _The Phantom of the Opera_ , Christine is the main female role with super curly hair. Steaming the wig down will cause the curls to die down some, but not loose all the curls.
> 
> House: The part of the theatre where the audience sits.
> 
> Cues: Where an actor needs to stand in accordance with the scenes and their actions that will usually trigger another action. 
> 
> "Cast this is your 5"/"Thank you 5": The stage manager announces how much time is left before the house doors open and to the start of the show. The cast replies with a thank you to acknowledge they all heard. 
> 
> Dress Rehearsals: Rehearsals where the actors are in costume and all props are used.
> 
> Catwalk: In this setting, the upper part of the stage. Look up the Hamilton set. It'll make more sense. 
> 
> Turntable: A disc-like part of the stage that rotates.
> 
> Center Stage: The front-most part of the stage where the main focus of the scene generally stands. 
> 
> Stage Kiss: Placing the thumbs on another actor's lips to block the lips from actually touching when kissing onstage. Usually done at an angle to hide the thumbs. 
> 
> Stage Right: The actor's right but the audience's left.
> 
> Curtain call: Actor's acknowledgment as they bow to the audience.

_Incoming Message: Leo_

> Hey man, you busy?

_Incoming Message: Katsuki_

> Do you need something? I can stop by. 

_Incoming Message: Leo_

> Come watch Guang-Hong’s drama production with me tonight. They’re putting on Hamilton. My treat.

_Incoming Message: Katsuki_

> Oh...I’m actually with Viktor right now. We were going to get some Starbucks and then watch a couple of movies. I was planning on going to the Sunday matinee. 

_Incoming Message: Leo_

> Bring him, I’ll pay for him too. I want a Strawberry Acai refresher, sub water for Green Tea and add 6 pumps of raspberry. Thank yoooouuu.

Yuuri looked up from his phone to the Russian teen who had been sneaking glances at his cell phone ever since he started texting Leo at a rapid pace. The two were sitting in the back seat of an Uber and only minutes from the closest Starbucks. Yuuri teasingly locked his phone before Viktor could read any messages and slid his phone in between his thighs. “A change of plans. How do you feel about musicals?”

__________

“ _Come on. Opening night is always the worst. Actors and tech are still trying to figure stuff out._ ” Leo encouraged Guang-Hong over their phone call. The Chinese boy sat on the stairs leading up to the prop storage room. He was having a small breakdown over tonight’s show, fearful that more things would go wrong during production. Granted, the things that went wrong opening night were kinks that needed to be, and had been, worked out, his fears persisted.

“What is someone named The Scottish Play by name in the theater and didn’t do the ritual,” Guang-Hong gasped. 

“ _Baby, that’s just superstition._ ” Leo reassured him and Guang-Hong sighed. “ _What are you doing right now?_ ”

“I’m waiting for hair and makeup to finish with the main actors. Then ensemble goes in.” He told his boyfriend. A sudden scream of frustration made him jump out of his skin as he peered out from his hiding spot. The stage manager and drama teacher both stormed onto stage, calling all actors. 

“Love? I’m gonna have to let you go. Mrs. Grassi looks ready to blow a fuse.” Guang-Hong sighed. 

Leo’s airy chuckle through the receiver warmed his heart because if there was something Guang-Hong loved more than Leo, it was his laugh, “ _Alright baby. Stay safe. Break a leg out there tonight, okay? Yuuri, Viktor and I are going to be in the crowd. Love you lots._ ” 

“Love you more.” Guang-Hong shot back before hanging up. Most of the cast and crew were on stage and formed a half-circle around their drama teacher. Several of them shuffled nervously, terror struck through them at the normally sunny and cheerful teacher’s sudden mood change.

“What’s going on?” Fernando was the first to speak, stepping forward with half of his stage makeup on. “Is everything okay?”

“It just so turns out,” Mrs. Grassi exclaimed, clasping her hands together in faux-happiness, “That our lovely Eliza was grounded for sneaking out of her house late at night to visit her boyfriend. Her mom is refusing to allow her to perform in any of the shows.” 

“Seriously? Anya?!” Layla exclaimed. The headstrong girl played the role of Angelica and her panic was everyone’s panic. “Mrs. Grassi, we _can’t_ go on without an Eliza. She’s the main female character!”

“Don’t you think she knows that?!” Fernando countered, turning and running a stressed hand through his hair. 

“Let’s all calm down!” Guang-Hong stepped forward. Their stage manager, Lily, raised a brow and looked him up and down curiously. Guang-Hong felt sufficiently sized-up. “Eliza is the most important role next to Alexander’s. We need to fill it with any other female actor.”

“Most of our backgrounds don’t have a voice as developed as Anya’s. “Burn” isn’t the easiest song, Guang-Hong.” Peggy’s actress, Katie, countered. 

“No, but Peggy is an easier role to fill. To double as Maria is the challenge. She’s a mezzo-soprano and sings a flat sixth. No one else in the female ensemble can sing that. They’re all Sopranos.” Lily explained, though she sounded hopeful.

“Yeah, I know that.” Katie rolled her eyes. “I play Peggy and Maria, remember?” She quipped.

“So play Eliza. You have the range for it.” Lily shrugged. 

Mrs. Grassi was intrigued by her stage manager’s suggestion. Lily was her stage hand, entrusted with the most important job in the play’s production, and of course, Mrs. Grassi valued the girl’s opinion. “So who plays Peggy?”

Lily’s eyes fell on Guang-Hong and everyone else followed. It took a while to process what had just been suggested. He looked back and forth between cast members. “I-I can’t play Peggy!”

“Of course you can! You falsetto better than anyone else and you’re a countertenor! The range is perfect!” Layla gasped with a wide smile.

“On top of that,” Fernando rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “You’re very– don’t take any offense to this– feminine-shaped.” When Guang-Hong looked at him ridiculously, Fernando continued, “You’re not the buffest of guys, alright? You’re very lithe. With a wig and some makeup, you could easily pass as female.”

The whole cast and crew began to murmur in agreement. People looked at Guang-Hong and making hourglass shapes with their hands. Others nodded with a hopeful gleam in their eyes. “Guang-Hong,” Mrs. Grassi looked at him seriously, “We have worked tirelessly to put this show on. To have it shut down on the 3rd night because of one actress’s mistake would be devastating. Don’t get me started on how hard it was to get the rights to put the show on in the first place.”

“This whole production lies in your ability and willingness to play Peggy.” Lily said, clutching her clipboard to her chest. 

He looked around at his cast and felt guilty at their hopeful looks. Could he pull it off? He had no experience being a major role. He had either done ensemble or supporting. Yet Guang-Hong didn’t have the heart to let his theatre family down. Besides, he was sure tonight’s show was when the local newspaper was supposed to come out and write on the show. Guang-Hong sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, “I suppose-”

“You suppose?” Mrs. Grassi raised a brow.

Guang-Hong groaned. “I can. I can fill in for Peggy.”

A cheer erupted on the stage as the cast and crew all celebrated the show’s saving grace. Guang-Hong smiled nervously at his cast. He knew what he signed himself up for. While Peggy only appeared for six songs and he would have to learn the choreography for the scenes where Peggy had a functioning role. The others where she was a background character could be improvised. 

“Let’s sing “The Schuyler Sisters” so we know that the chords can all work out,” An ensemble member suggested. 

“I would need note samples from Katie.” Guang-Hong said, looking hopefully at his predecessor. After singing the notes and matching pitches, Guang-Hong nodded and watched Tech Crew fumble with a portable speaker and their phones, rushing to put on their karaoke version. 

One the song started Guang-Hong shook nervously in his shoes. He didn’t doubt his falsetto ability, but the pressure was still big on him. Aaron Burr’s actor, Brandon, started the song off and he couldn’t help but smile a bit at the ensemble and tech’s unison ‘Work!’ The ensemble all bobbed their heads in time with the beat and other’s tapped their thighs. Smiles were abundant as everyone brightened up with the Schuyler Sisters’ entrances. When Guang-Hong was able to perfectly falsetto the final chord, the entire ensemble broke into applause once more. Katie threw herself at Guang-Hong and giggled brightly, absolutely overjoyed.

“The show will go on!” Katie cried.

“I’d hate to rain on our parade, but you guys are forgetting one major aspect,” Fernando sighed and shook his head. “Peggy’s actor also doubles as Maria.” 

The thick blanket of realization was pulled over the cast as they all looked between Fernando and Guang-Hong. Guang-Hong himself blushed a deep shade of red as he took a sudden interest in his shoes. Were they always that stylish?

“Listen. I have no problem with kissing you. None at all,” Fernando started and Guang-Hong looked up at him, “Maria is a very promiscuous role, though. Can you do it?”

“The show has to go on,” Guang-Hong said. “I’ll take Maria and do the best I can.” 

“Leo will get jealous~” Jose, an ensemble member, teased. Guang-Hong rolled his eyes at the ‘Oohs’ but knew deep down that there was truth to the statement. Leo would have to live with it. It was just acting, after all. 

“Well if he’s going to be Maria,” Lily interjected, “He needs to start learning to walk in heels. Someone from hair and makeup jump on the Christine wig from last year’s Phantom show and steam the curls down. Otabek?” She turned to a quiet Sophomore from the technical theater crew, “Make sure you mic up Guang-Hong with Peggy’s mic.” She and Mrs. Grassi began to walk back towards the booth, where minor adjustments to the stage lightings were taking place.

“Oh, and make sure you pad him up!” Mrs. Grassi called.

“Oh god,” Guang-Hong squeaked.

______ 

“Oh my god!” Katie squealed when Guang-Hong appeared backstage, back from makeup. It was 20 minutes to show time and the house was set to open in 10 minutes. After a crash course on how to walk in heels and Peggy’s cues and choreography, awkwardly having breasts contoured onto his freckled chest and two wig stylists fusing over the best method on turning his hair from Peggy’s to Maria’s and back to Peggy’s for the whole show, Guang-Hong was feeling mildly prepared.

“You do make a very pretty girl. I’m glad they left your freckles on. I can’t wait to see you as Maria.” Layla laughed and walked a circle around Guang-Hong. “You ready, Peggy?” 

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Guang-Hong admitted.

“Cast, this is your 5.” Lily’s voice boomed over the house speakers. 

“Thank you, 5.” A chorus of voices rang from the theater. 

Guang-Hong turned and looked at his reflection in the mirror just off stage for last minute fixes. He felt strange to not be wearing the white outfit and boots he had grown accustomed to during dress rehearsals. The dress and heels felt odd on him, and the padding improvised by sewing old scraps of fabric together and stuffing them with cottons they had torn from throw pillows made his hips feel heavy. It was a hectic thing to throw together in four hours, and when Guang-Hong only had half an hour left until show, he had three hair and makeup crew on him. He turned to look back at the rack that held his dress for Peggy’s Schuyler Sister debut as well as his Maria dress.

Katie took his hand and folded it into a fist, bringing it up to her lips and pressing a soft kiss to his knuckles. “Guang-Hong, you’re gonna do amazing. Believe in yourself.” 

Guang-Hong nodded. He was hoping to be able to text or call Leo before the show started, but he got too caught up in learning Peggy’s roles to try and contact his boyfriend. 

Layla wrapped her arms around Guang-Hong and Katie’s shoulders. “Don’t go around getting nervous, now. The Schuyler Sisters are only the most elite of the elite actors. We came here to kick ass and chew bubble gum. And guess what?”

“What?” Guang-Hong asked.

Layla smirked, “We’re all outta bubblegum.” 

__________

“Sunflowers or orchids?” Leo asked, looking between two bouquets. Viktor had decided to contract their Uber driver as their personal chauffeur for the afternoon, much to Yuuri’s mortification, and the trio was currently at the flower shop Yuuri’s mother worked at. 

“Why not get him Amaryllis?” Hiroko suggested, pointing at white flowers with the outer-edges of the petals bleeding into a soft red color. Leo walked over to them and inspected them closely. 

Yuuri held his own bouquet of roses he and Viktor decided to get Guang-Hong. He knew Leo tried to get his boyfriend different flowers for every performance. Guang-Hong was overjoyed with his boyfriend simply attending his shows since his parents were usually too busy with the restaurant, and flowers made the Chinese teen nearly burst at the seams with delight. 

“Yeah, these are perfect.” Leo sighed and turned to Hiroko, “Can I get a bouquet of this, mom?”

Hiroko giggled and nodded, taking a roll of paper with polka dots on it and going to wrap the flowers decoratively in them. She took the wrapped flowers back to her station and let Leo pick out a bow color (he insisted on the pink and yellow one) and attached a little card to the bow so Leo could write on it. Leo didn’t hesitate to write Guang-Hong an inspirational message.

Just as Hiroko was ringing him up for the bouquet, something caught Leo’s eyes. He gasped and turned to Viktor and Yuuri. “The bear or bunny stuffed animal?”

__________

Guang-Hong peeked out nervously through the curtains as people began filling the house seats for the show. Layla had to pull Guang-Hong lest he risked being seen before the show started. 

“I think I saw Leo in the front row.” Guang-Hong said, turning to look at Layla. 

“Well did you see the journalist by any chance? We didn’t build this set for him not to come.” Layla huffed, motioning to the impressive set built by the technical theater and drama kids alike. While it did draw some inspiration from the original set, it was modified to fit their budget. Some staircases weren’t retractable like the original at well. Mrs. Grassi said their aim was to draw inspiration, not copy. 

“I didn’t think to look. Sorry.” Guang-Hong said shyly. 

Layla laughed and shook her head. “Alright, come on. You and I got to get up to our cue on the catwalk.” She pointed across the stage to where their said cues were. After a brief hug between Layla, Katie, and Guang-Hong, Layla and Guang-Hong parted to their respective cues. 

It was minutes later when Mrs. Grassi’s voice boomed on stage. “Hello, one and all! Thank you all for joining us for Angeles’ High School’s production of ‘Hamilton: An American Musical’.” The house exploded into applause and the drama teacher waited for it to die down before continuing. “Our student have worked hard since the summer to pull together this production and countless hours have gone into making it possible. That being said, tonight, due to unforeseen circumstances, the roles of Eliza and Peggy Schuyler as well as Maria Reynolds are substituted by other drama students. So forgive any tears in our fabric as we weave together for you the story of America’s youngest, scrappiest, and hungriest founding father.” 

Applause chased her announcement. Guang-Hong watched Lily make eye contact with Brandon as the curtains came up and the music began to play. He ran out and began to recite the opening lines to the musical. From his spot on the darkened catwalk, Guang-Hong could faintly make out faces in the crowd. He spotted Leo instantly and grew excited at the wisp of silver hair a seat away from Leo. If that was Viktor, that meant Yuuri must have also been here. With the support of his friends, Guang-Hong felt he could pull Peggy off well enough. 

Once the opening number had finished, Guang-Hong rushed off stage with Layla and Katie to change into their dresses. Guang-Hong needed help from hair and makeup to keep his padding on as he stepped into the yellow dress. Once it was on and his wig was adjusted, he took a seat next to Katie and Layla, waiting for their brief cameo in ‘My Shot’ as well as their Schuyler sister debut.

It was going to be a long night.

__________

“And so you see, since Guang-Hong was in drama in middle school, he auditioned for the advanced drama class and made it in as a freshman. My boyfriend is really talented.” Leo talked Viktor’s ear off as the trio walked into the theatre. While he was still wary of Viktor’s relationship with Yuuri, he wouldn’t miss a chance to brag about Guang-Hong. The teddy bear and the bunny stuffed animals were tucked safely under his arm and he delicately held the bouquet in his hands.

They made their way to their front row seats that Leo talked himself into getting for them and all sat. A man was already sitting front and center so Leo grumpily sat next to him, upset that he had been robbed of the best seat in the house. Yuuri sat in between Leo and Viktor and the Hispanic teen still rambled on about the mechanics of the shows.

“Now they couldn’t have a turntable like the real Broadway show, so extensive choreography and exercise went into making it happen as turntable-y as possible. Poor Guang-Hong would be sore when they first started going through the choreography.” Leo explained. “He’s one of the ensemble members in white, so look out for him!”

The middle-aged man sitting next to them turned to look at Leo. “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. It seems you know a lot about the show. Johnny Blanco, journalist for the Angeles Bulletin. I would love to meet your friend in the show afterward for some commentary if they wouldn’t mind.”

“Oh sure!” Leo grinned and Yuuri inwardly cringed. He couldn’t imagine someone setting him up to talk to journalists without his consent. Of course, Guang-Hong could be initial timid but eventually opened himself up to be a social butterfly. 

All attention went on stage as the house lights dimmed and the music faded out. Yuuri recognized the drama teacher as she stepped on stage. She was a younger, round woman with wild, auburn hair and a booming voice. 

“Hello, one and all! Thank you all for joining us for Angeles’ High School’s production of ‘Hamilton: An American Musical’.” The drama teacher waited for the explosive applause to end before she continued. “Our students have worked hard since the summer to pull together this production and countless hours have gone into making it possible. That being said, tonight, due to unforeseen circumstances, the roles of Eliza and Peggy Schuyler, as well as Maria Reynolds, are substituted by other drama students. So forgive any tears in our fabric as we weave together for you the story of America’s youngest, scrappiest, and hungriest founding father.”

“Oh wow. I can’t wait to see this.” Leo said, sitting up in his seat as the audience applause filled the theatre once more. “I hope my Guang-Hong is okay. He gets nervous whenever something doesn’t go as planned in the theatre.”

“Well, whatever it is, I’m sure the show will be great.” Viktor said. Just then, the music started and the spotlight shone on Aaron Burr as he ran down to center stage and sung the opening lines to the first number. Leo watched with anticipation, scanning every face of the ensemble when they danced out. He frowned slightly when he noticed Guang-Hong’s was missing. He took out the program and looked back and forth between actors and their pictures in the program to be sure he wasn’t mistaking any one. He listened to the ensemble, straining to hear his boyfriend’s voice.

“ _His enemies destroyed his ‘rep. America forgot him!_ ”

“ _We fought with him._ ”

“ _Me? I died for him for him._ ”

“ _Me? I trusted him._ ”

“Me? I loved him.”

Yuuri noticed Viktor sit back, staring up at the Catwalk where the Schuyler sisters all stood. The dark-haired boy leaned into him, “What’s the matter?”

“Well, Mr. Feltsman used to help all the time with some of the musicality. The Schuyler Sisters got a lot of attention because of the chords. The chord they sang there? Something about it sounded a tiny bit off to me. Like one of the voices is forced.” Viktor applauded with the rest of the audience when the first number ended. 

“It’s probably your imagination. Besides, the roles had to be substituted, remember?” Yuuri said.

“Maybe…” Viktor said but sounded unconvinced. His musical intuition was never off. 

“Shhh!” Another theatre-goer behind them shushed the two and Yuuri turned, flashing an apologetic smile. He focused back on the show as the actors launched themselves into the second number. Though he could notice Viktor’s critical observance on the actors.

__________

Guang-Hong felt his nerves jitter as ‘The Story of Tonight’ was being sung onstage. The next song would be “The Schuyler Sisters” meaning their debut. Layla, Katie and himself all hugged and sent a small actor’s prayer to the theatre gods. Katie looked just as intimidated and he felt reassured that he was not the only one performing a new role on the spot. 

Just as the actors all clinked their cups together one last time and ensemble members pulled their chairs off stage. They rushed off stage, passing the three actors who stood off stage waiting for their cue. The lights dimmed on the revolutionary group and lit back up on Brandon, who skipped down to center-stage and began to sing. The trio locked hands before they scurried onto stage before it lit up any further and waited for their cues.

“Work, work!”

“ _Angelica!_ ”

“Work, work!”

“ _Eliza!_ ”

“Work, work!”

“ _And Peggy!_ ” Guang-Hong turned and struck a childish pose. Of course, this made the entire audience laugh. His voice, while normally soft and pitched, was even more pitched to make him sound childish. He couldn’t rely entirely on falsetto for a pitchy voice so he focused his voice up in his throat rather than in his chest.  
As they ran through the rest of the song, Guang-Hong nearly panicked when Katie’s tug on his arm, as Eliza was supposed to do to Peggy, caused him to stumble in his heels. He could hear Maya, an ensemble member, instruct him to walk with his heel first and roll through the step. _Almost like you’re marching!_ She had advised. As Layla and Katie ran through their lyrics as Angelica and Eliza, Guang-Hong took on very Peggy-esque behavior and looked around curiously, dancing in place and rocking on his heels; something he ceased when he nearly fell backward. Luckily, Jose noticed and danced towards him, helping him stay upright. The audience loved it. Peggy was acting just as she was supposed to. It was slightly odd having to prance around in a dress, but Guang-Hong reminded himself that it was no different than some of the clothes he wore.

“ _We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal!_ ” The trio harmonized as they flourished the skirts of their dresses to the beat. The chords blended perfectly and Guang-Hong thanked the ensemble member who suggested they run through the song for practice. The rest of the song went without a hitch. The choreography, while improvised on Guang-Hong and Katie’s part, gave the musical a realistic feel. They had to delve into their characters and act accordingly to their personalities. 

“ _In the greatest city in the world!_ ” Layla, Katie, and Guang-Hong all sang, the ensemble all repeating the line as they held the chord. When the song ended, the theatre broke into applause. Guang-Hong quickly glanced off stage to where Leo sat and almost broke character to laugh at his boyfriend’s bewildered expression. Taking Layla’s hand, the three Schuyler sisters scurried off stage in fits of giggles.

“We did it!” Layla whispered as she hugged Guang-Hong and Katie tightly. The three had sweat throughout their act, which was understandable under the harsh stage lights, and were handed water bottles by stage hands. Guang-Hong watched as the actors on stage ran through the next song, relieved that he got through perhaps his most challenging song as Peggy.

_________

Viktor read the program and noted the next song to be “The Schuyler Sisters”. He sat up, ready to give the song his full attention. Something about the sisters was simply off, and it just wasn’t the change in actors. He was determined to find out what it was. One of the actors danced on stage, the same actor who opened the show, Viktor noted and danced out of the way for the sisters, who all turned and sung their name.

“ _And Peggy!_ ” The actress sang. Viktor's brows shot up at the singing and he heard Leo choke on his saliva a seat away from him. He glanced over at the teen, who had his eyes trained on the youngest Schuyler Sister. It was only when the actor kept singing did Viktor notice the use of falsetto. Upon closer inspection of the actress’s singing by his musically trained ear, Viktor came to the conclusion that the actress was actually an actor. A boy was playing Peggy.

“That’s Guang.” Leo muttered and Viktor turned to look at him. The poor teen had his eyes locked on the character and Viktor smiled. Mystery of the disappearing Guang-Hong solved.

“You can’t seriously think that.” Yuuri said to Leo. 

“Look at those freckles. I know my boyfriend’s freckles.” Leo laughed in disbelief. “Oh my god. He really does look like a girl. They even got a wig on him. Oh, my dear, sweet, Guang-Hong. What did they drag you into?” 

Viktor scrutinized the actor and did recognize some features from the face he had seen in the band room. Using makeup, feminine features had been contoured onto him and Viktor wondered how they created the padding for his hips and breasts, but he wasn’t going to let his curiosity ruin the show for him. He sat back, now satisfied that he had figured out the abnormalities of the chords, and decided to enjoy the show. He couldn’t say the same for Leo, however. He looked on the verge of a breakdown.

__________

The rest of the first act went without a hitch for Guang-Hong. Mrs. Grassi went on the speaker and announced the 15-minute intermission. Voices filled the house when the house lights came on. Several people stood and exited to buy snacks and drinks from the concession stand while others stood to stretch their legs.

Guang-Hong was whisked off to hair and makeup, where he was helped out of his Peggy dress and into the sultry, red, Maria Reynolds’ dress. After adjusting his makeup and slapping on a bold, red lip, Guang-Hong’s wig was fixed to let it out of it’s Half-up, half-down style, the transformation from Peggy to Maria was complete. 

Fernando, dressed in his green coat and his hair slicked back, approached Guang-Hong and whistled appreciatively. “If you were a real girl, I’d ask you out.” The leading actor leaned on a wall next to Guang-Hong and shoved his hands into his coat pockets. 

Guang-Hong crossed his arms over his chest and rolled his eyes, “You seem excited at getting to kiss me. You do realize we can’t stage kiss, right? We’re visible to the audience at every angle. And I have to hang all over you.” Guang-Hong pointed out.

Fernando shrugged. “It’s only acting. I’m just worried about your boyfriend. I saw him front row and he looked disgruntled, to say the least.”

“He’ll be fine once I explain it to him. He knows Maria and Peggy are a dual role. It’s probably why he’s upset over it.” Guang-Hong sighed and rubbed his wrists. Fernando only smiled at him. 

“Well, Mrs. Reynolds,” He said, pushing off the wall, “Knock ‘em dead.” He then turned, walked away, and left Guang-Hong to stare at his retreating back.

“I hope so.” He mumbled to himself, suddenly unsure of his ability. 

__________

“I can’t believe they chose him to play Peggy.” Leo ranted when they all walked outside to grab a drink from the concession stand. 

“He _has_ always been very feminine,” Yuuri hummed and dug through his wallet for a dollar bill, whining when Viktor plucked his wallet from his hands and tucked it away into the pocket of his cardigan. 

“Well, regardless. I think what Guang-Hong is doing is very valiant.” Viktor interjected, ordering iced tea for the three of them. 

“What do you mean?” Leo asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Have you suddenly had something thrown at you that you had to learn in such a short amount of time? It’s nerve-wracking.” Viktor said simply and handed the other two their iced tea.

“This one time in water polo, I had to play field because our best set player was out with a concussion and I was the fastest player on the team after him.” Leo reasoned. He took a drink of his iced tea, curious to see as to where Viktor was going with his reasoning.

“Ah,” Viktor mused, “you see, the arts and sports aren’t exactly the same. While both are a team, it’s easier to switch around in sports to play different positions. In the arts, especially in performing arts, it’s much, much more difficult. Guang-Hong had to adjust to new harmonizations, chords, lyrics, choreography and costuming. Not to mention he had to learn cues.”

When realization dawned on Leo’s face, Yuuri smiled up at Viktor. The Russian teen’s understanding knew no limits.

“Guang-Hong took on an incredibly tough task and mastered it in a matter of hours. If anything, you should be proud of him.” Viktor suggested, looking at Leo over the rim of his drink as he took a swig of it. Viktor raised a brow, “Unless there’s another reason that you’re upset.”

Leo shuffled uncomfortably and looked at the drink in his hand. He sighed and downed it all in one massive chug before crushing the can under his foot and tossing it to the recycling bin. “Peggy’s actress also plays Maria Reynolds. And Maria Reynolds...well she’s not the holiest of characters.”

Something clicked in Yuuri’s mind, “Maria is Hamilton’s mistress. Maria is played by Guang-Hong. That means you’re going to be seeing Guang-Hong all over another man. You’re jealous.” 

Leo zipped up his bomber jacket and looked away in shame. “Surprise.” 

Viktor smiled at him, completely understanding. He would be lying if he said he didn’t get a tad-bit jealous over Yuuri’s friendships with Leo and Phichit. Especially Phichit. It was like they were conjoined at the hip or something. “Leo,” Viktor said, putting a hand on the younger boy’s shoulder and smiling, “Listen. I don’t know you or Guang-Hong much. But from what Yuuri has told me, and the way you talk about him, I can tell you two are wildly in love. No musical will ever take that from you two. Remember, they’re only acting. I’m certain Guang-Hong only has eyes for you.” 

Leo studied Viktor’s features for a while before he broke out into a soft grin, directing it at the floor. “I do love him.” 

“And he loves you.” Yuuri butted in, stepping up to his friend. “I can remember when he was in middle school. It was like, a month before you two started dating.”

“You were a sophomore at the time.” Leo remembered and Yuuri nodded. 

“He would always write ‘Guang-Hong De La Iglesia’ or ‘Leo Ji’ in his notebook and he was frustrated that yours sounded adorable but his was a mouthful.” Yuuri said, making Leo laugh and shake his head. 

“My point is. Guang-Hong and you have dated for how long now?” Yuuri asked.

“A year and 11 months.” Leo filled in.

Yuuri nodded, “And I don’t think either of you favors throwing away 23 months over one musical scene.” 

Leo nodded, “You’re right.” He stopped and grinned up at the two, “Maybe you two should open up some sort of counseling business together.

Viktor turned to look at Yuuri and didn’t miss the way he smiled bitterly.

__________

“ _I have to get my plan through Congress. I can’t stop ‘till I get my plan through Congress._ ”

Guang-Hong took a deep breath. His heart pounded erratically in his chest. After the ending of this number, he would have to enter stage right and make a full circle across the stage before finally taking the center stage as his opening choreography as Maria. On top of that, his personality had to drastically switch from a happy-go-lucky Peggy to a salacious Maria. Katie urged him to walk with one foot in front of the other, in a sultry strut, swung his hips and elongate his neck. Shoulders back, leading with his chest and parting his mouth every-so-slightly would perfectly channel his inner Maria. The makeup work done by the hair and makeup crew would fill in the rest of the holes to make him a convincing Maria. 

The sultry cello started up and Guang-Hong started taking his cue from the stage. He could see Fernando sitting at Hamilton’s prop desk, working himself into a frenzy. Other ensemble members stood by, chatting before they all turned to stare at him. Under the harsh stage lights, Guang-Hong felt meek and unsure. He stopped right on his cue, just to the side of the desk where Fernando began to recite his own lines. Guang-Hong looked underneath his eyelashes to the front row.

Under the lighting, he dimly made out Leo, Yuuri and Viktor all sitting placidly. Leo was sitting forward with his forearms on his knees and eyes expertly trained on him. Guang-Hong took a subtly breathe. Leo’s gaze was full of wonder and excitement as well as encouragement and hope. 

He could do this. 

“ _I know you are a man of honor, I’m so sorry to bother you at home,_ ” Guang-Hong sang, stepping towards Fernando. Luckily, he didn’t need to falsetto as high, being that Maria had a much lower voice than Peggy. In fact, the singing itself was much closer to his range. He was glad. 

The song went on and Guang-Hong tried channel whatever inner seduction he could. Except that he couldn’t because he wasn’t seductive and maybe Maria was just out of his reach. He lamented these facts and glanced out to the crowd, completely helpless. He sang his lines, somewhat robotically as his mind wandered to other things. If he couldn’t be the seductive Maria that she was, what could he be?

He could be a historically accurate Maria Reynolds. The 23-year-old who was forced into an elaborate extortion scheme by her abusive husband. Who was meek, unsure and fell in love with Hamilton because he was her savior and solace. Nervous, alone, insecure and antisocial. Now that sounded like someone he knew. He could definitely do that. He could do that if he simply acted like…

“ _Stay?_ ” Guang-Hong sung, perched on the bed and trying to look as unwilling and afraid as possible.

“ _Hey…_ ” Fernando sung, picking up on Guang-Hong’s sudden mood shift.

“ _Hey~_ ” Guang-Hong repeated, pressing a finger to his lip and winking, hoping that Fernando caught onto his hint while he tried to stay in character.

The song went on and Guang-Hong experienced on onstage epiphany. So maybe he didn’t necessarily need to fill the sultry shoes Katie had stepped out of and left behind. He reinvented Maria into what a 15-year-old freshman with three years of drama experience could do. The whole situation itself was absurd and outlandish. Had this ever happened before? It didn’t matter. He was an actor and he had to do what actors did best. 

“ _Then her mouth was on mine and I don’t say-_ ”

“ _No!_ ”

Guang-Hong crossed the stage and pulled Fernando by the collar of his coat and kissed him. The kiss was withdrawn and unwilling but he slowly built it into a more forceful and demanding one. All while keeping it as PG as possible. Highly unlikely. Some of the ensemble members broke character to glance at a sudden outburst off-stage but a good handful of them remained in character. 

Guang-Hong scurried off the elevated platform on the main stage before the tech crew raised the lights on it. The stage itself had several props moved around on it to be different scenes. It was currently modified to look like Maria’s bedroom. An idea popped into Guang-Hong’s mind as Michael, the actor for Maria’s husband, confronted Fernando. He quickly sat on the chair of the prop vanity and pretended to cry. 

“ _I hid the letter and I raced to her place, screamed ‘How could you’ in her face she said_ ”

Guang-Hong turned, tears falling down his cheeks as he threw himself to Fernando’s feet, “ _No sir!_ ”

Fernando looked bewildered as he took a step back. Guang-Hong reached out and grabbed his ankle. “ _Half-dressed, apologetic, a mess, she looked pathetic, she cried,_ ”

“ _Please don’t go, sir!_ ” Guang-Hong sung through his tears, almost forgetting to falsetto. _How did the story go again?_ Guang-Hong frantically searched his mind for the rest of it. He sang the continuing lines with Fernando, still translating Maria’s panic.

 _She’s angry. She’s alone and bitter and abused of course she’s going to try and apologize before he turns defensive. She’s known love and now she doesn’t want to let it go so easily._

“ _Stop crying, goddamn it, get up!_ ” Fernando hauled Guang-Hong to his feet, causing him to stumble. 

“ _I didn’t know any better!_ Guang-Hong replied, jerking his arm out of Fernando’s grip. 

Guang-Hong felt like he took the role on and morphed it into his own. He was definitely knocking it out of the ballpark and the feeling was absolutely amazing. Maybe, just maybe, Guang-Hong enjoyed playing female characters more than male characters.

__________

Leo was annoyed. He was annoyed for several reasons. Some jackasses a few seats behind him decided they wanted to mock every bit of the show. Why come if you’re just going to mock it? Somewhere in the opening act, Viktor decided he wanted to cuddle into Yuuri’s side and Leo was feeling grumpy because he didn’t have his Guang-Hong. On top of that, he knew that Maria Reynold’s scene was coming up–he and Guang-Hong spent weeks lying in bed together after school and on weekends listening to the soundtrack and Leo remembered it by heart– and despite Viktor’s earlier reassurance, he wasn’t going to enjoy much of it.

As soon as Eliza and Angelica’s actors walked off stage solemnly, the deep, reverberating notes of the cello began. Aaron Burr’s actor appeared, leaning against a beam. From behind him, Guang-Hong appeared, dressed as the seductress. Leo smiled at the courage of his boyfriend but couldn’t stop his leg from bouncing with anticipation. Yuuri put his hand on Leo’s arm for encouragement and Leo reached over and gripped it tightly. He held Yuuri’s hand for the scene, not liking how meek and coy Guang-Hong was acting, yet throwing himself all over the actor. 

“ _Then her mouth is on mine and I don’t say-_

“No!” Leo shouted, jerking forward slightly. He was thankful that he was coincidentally able to line it up with the ensemble members. Many broke character at the random shout and glanced off stage. Leo shrunk down in his seat at the disapproving glare many gave him. The journalist beside him looked amused. Yuuri looked horrified, to say the least. 

“Sorry…” Leo croaked and looked up at the stage, biting his tongue to prevent any other outbursts. This was going to be a long scene.

__________

“ _Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?_ ” The ensemble all sang the closing line as Eliza took center stage and looked off into the distance, before taking her symbolic final breath and the lights dimmed on the entire stage. The entire audience broke into explosive applause as the actors all scurried behind the closing curtains and into the wings, waiting for curtain call. They all lined up in their orders and the backing ensemble members all ran out together, bowing before taking a step back to allow the other actors. Peggy, as Guang-Hong had changed back into her white dress from the opening number and wiped Maria’s sultry lip color off, would come on after James Reynolds, George Eacker and Charles Lee.

Once the trio of featured men bowed and took a step back, Guang-Hong walked back out onto the stage and waved with a brilliant smile. He could hear Leo cheering the loudest when he bowed. He gripped his wig and held onto his padding to make sure everything would stay in place. When he came back upright, he met Leo’s eyes, who only cheered louder. He was so caught up that King George’s actor, a senior named Mitchell, came sauntering on stage and pushed him aside, completely in character, and bowed. Guang-Hong could only laugh before retreating back to the growing line of cast members.

Once Eliza and Alexander had come out on stage and taken their bow, the tech crew was properly acknowledged, and the cast had taken their final bow, Mrs. Grassi appeared back on stage. 

“Thank you all so much! Thank you all for attending Angeles High School’s performance of “Hamilton: An American Musical!” The actors will all be outside for a short while to take pictures in costume! Thank you all for coming and drive safe!” Mrs. Grassi announced and waved. Once the lights in the house came back on, the actors all rushed backstage to change into their proper costumes and made their way to the front of the theatre. Guang-Hong quickly rushed into his Peggy outfit with hair and makeup help before making his way to the front. 

“Guang-Hong!” He heard Leo cry and watched as his boyfriend rushed to him. A huge grin split across his face and Guang-Hong stumbled over to him clumsily in his heels.

Leo crushed him in his embrace and swayed Guang-Hong around, laughing brightly. “Babe! Oh my god! Baby, you surprised me! You were amazing out there! Oh, you’re so talented, I’m so proud!” He gushed, planting kisses across Guang-Hong’s face and making him laugh. 

“Guang!” Yuuri made himself known as the Chinese boy detached himself from his clingy boyfriend to greet his other friends! 

“Yuuri! I’m so glad you came!” He grinned and hugged him. He then turned to Yuuri’s newest fascination and grinned. “Hi, Viktor.”

“Guang-Hong I have to say, as a performer myself, I absolutely appreciate what you did out there. It was _amazing_.” Viktor applauded and Guang-Hong blushed and gave a little bow. 

“Here, Viktor and I got you these.” Yuuri said, handing Yuuri the bouquet of roses they had purchased.  
“Thank you.” Guang-Hong grinned at the both of them, eyes sparkling at the roses. 

Leo carefully pulled out the bouquet of Amaryllis and the two stuffed animals he had selected and handed them to Guang-Hong, “And I got you these but I feel kinda embarrassed now because don’t even begin to show how proud I am of you.” 

Guang-Hong laughed and took them gratefully, “Thank you, you three. It was kinda scary having to tackle a new role, but I’m glad I did it.”

“Well, how about we celebrate?” Viktor suggested, “I’m paying. Any restaurant Guang-Hong chooses.” 

Guang-Hong grinned and raised a brow, “Any?”

Before Viktor could question further, the actress who had played Angelica came over and gripped Guang-Hong’s arm, “Come on! We’re taking pictures as the Schuyler Sisters!” 

“Wait!” Guang-Hong whined before he was dragged away, holding onto his wig frantically. 

Leo, Yuuri and Viktor all stood and watched as Guang-Hong posed along with the other two Schuyler Sisters, Layla, and Katie, per what Yuuri discovered in the program. The trio did their iconic “Work” pose as well as taking pictures with friends and family. Leo felt a warmth blossom in his chest. So many emotions ran through his mind. Pride. Joy. Passion. Love. He knew Guang-Hong was one of a kind.

“Excuse me?”

Leo turned to meet with the journalist from earlier. “Oh, hi! Sorry. Kinda rushed out on ya, didn’t I?” 

“Yeah,” Johnny nodded and shrugged, “It happens. Your friend in the show. Was it Peggy Schuyler’s actor?”

Leo turned back to look at the teen and his heart swelled.

“Yeah, that’s my Guang.”

__________

“And so Lily had no mercy as she tore those couch pillows open. Can’t blame her. I heard in last year’s production of “The Curious Savage”, a lot of people kept getting injured by it.” Guang-Hong explained as he sipped some of his Green tea in one of the booths of his parent’s Hot Pot restaurant. While Viktor still insisted on paying, Guang-Hong’s parents vehemently refused. After all, they had to makeup somehow for missing their son’s performance. Viktor was confused as to why Guang-Hong wasn’t eating and why Yuuri didn’t eat much. Guang-Hong explained because he ate hot pot so much as a kid, he had grown to somewhat dislike it. His mother was making him a _Jian Bing_ while Yuuri simply said, which quickly averted eyes, that he wasn’t too hungry.

“Okay, but that doesn’t explain how you ended up with the Peggy roll,” Leo laughed, leaning his cheek on his palm to stare at Guang-Hong. 

“Oh. Well. You see what happened was that I was the only one who could hit both the notes necessary for Maria and Peggy,” the brown-haired boy began.

“Which explains the extreme falsetto for Peggy,” Viktor laughed and Guang-Hong nodded.

“The rest of our female singers are sopranos. I’m a countertenor, which means if I were a female, I would be a mezzo-soprano. That’s the needed vocal-range for the dual parts. Peggy doubling Maria is a huge symbol in the play and the actress needed to do both.” Guang-Hong continued, only pausing to thank his mother who brought him his food. 

Guang-Hong took a big bite of his meal, “And Katie, the original actress for Peggy first auditioned for Eliza. But a Junior named Anya took that role because of seniority.” 

Viktor looked taken aback, “Anya Ivanov?” 

“Yeah, that’s her. Why?” Guang-Hong asked.

“That’s my cousin’s girlfriend. Why’d she get pulled out of the show?” Viktor inquired.

“Well, I guess she snuck out of her house to see your cousin. Her mom called Mrs. Grassi and said that Anya couldn’t participate in any because she was grounded.” Guang-Hong explained. 

Viktor shook his head, “Impossible. Georgi was with Mila and I all last night and Anya won’t come within a twelve-foot radius of Mila. They always butt heads.”

Yuuri’s eyebrows shot up, “Uh-oh.” 

Leo put his hands up, “Let’s play detective later, yeah? We’re having such a good night.”

Viktor folded his arms on the table and eventually conceded with a nod, “Alright, but if Georgi comes for my head for not telling him sooner, I’m using you as a shield.”

The Hispanic teen laughed and draped his arm over Guang-Hong’s shoulders. The smaller teen instantly cuddled up against his side. “That’s not a problem, _pero_ like, you’re gonna feel Guang-Hong’s wrath if anything happens to me. He may look cute, but he has like, mad Kung Fu experience.”

Viktor turned to Yuuri, “I don’t suppose you have any martial arts training to back me up?” He joked.

Yuuri scoffed, “What, are we Pokémon now?” 

Viktor flashed him a dashing smile, “If you were, I’d always choose you.”

“God, Viktor!”

__________

_Incoming Text: Guang-Hong_

> Click the link to the article! It’s from last week’s performance and my debut as Peggy!

_Incoming Text: Guang-Hong_

> https://www.angelesbulliten.com/article/Angeles-High-Theatre….

_Incoming Text: Yuuri!!!_

> My gosh, Guang! That’s awesome!

Yuuri quickly shot the text back before clicking the article link.

****

#  **Angeles’ High School Theatre Shows Are Revolutionary**

###  ** Johnny Blanco, Local Life Writer **

**It’s no mystery that Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway sensation _Hamilton: An American Musical_ has taken the world by storm. Audience’s around the world applaud the revolutionary musical, in both contexts of the word, for it’s artistic aesthetic, musical experience and tear-jerking, head-banging, and awe-inspiring performance. One group of fans decided to take it a whole step further and put on the show through their own artistic interpretation. The show certainly stands out from many others for several reasons. A breath-taking set, dazzling special effects, powerful vocals and visually enticing choreography to the hip-hop sensation, it’s all the more impressive when one realizes that the entire play was student built, ran and produced. Drama teacher Wendy Grassi had only tips on how to direct the show. **

Yuuri thumbed through the rest of the article, reading it all with great care. He agreed with the journalist when he mentioned the hair-raising performance of ‘Burn’ as well as the raw emotion that poured from Katie during the scene. While the burning of the prop Alexander Hamilton portrait in the fireplace was completely impromptu and definitely not fire-safe, it added to the overall effect of the musical. He also agreed that the performance of ‘It’s Quiet Uptown’ was heart-wrenching and he remembered distinctly that Viktor latched onto his arm and sobbed quietly at Eliza’s forgiveness.

****

**Of course, the Schuyler sisters absolutely stole the show. The show-stopping sisters, Angelica, Eliza and Peggy were played by Layla Solario, Katherine Tran, and Guang-Hong Ji, respectively. Ji then went on the play Maria Reynolds in act two and gave an interesting spin to the Founding Father’s mistress. What makes it all the more impressive is that Tran and Ji both switched to new roles the day of the performance due to the absence of the original Eliza. Were it not for the announcement at the beginning of the show by Grassi, the switch would have gone completely unnoticed. “It was scary at first. I’ve never played a woman before. Much less a mistress,” laughs Ji, “But I’m glad I did it. It expands my capabilities as an actor and performer.”**

****

****  


Yuuri smiled as he read the rest of the article. He was incredibly proud of his friend for being able to do something so nerve-wracking. He wouldn’t be able to pull it off as flawlessly as Guang-Hong did. The talents of his friends never ceased to amaze him. He hoped that maybe one day, he could have some sort of talent.

Maybe one day.

**Author's Note:**

> Again, it may seem cracky, but this is actually an important part of the series. Keep Guang-Hong's monologue during "Say No To This" in mind.
> 
> And yes, this actually happened. It was inspired by two events, actually. In my 8th grade year, we put on "Grease", but we didn't have sufficient male actors, so the most masculine female, my friend, acted the part of Doody. Flash forward 5 years, said friend is a sign-language interpreter for her high school's theatre show. She invited me to attend and lo behold, a boy filled in a female role because she could no longer be apart of it. I was actually fooled into thinking he was a girl until I met him. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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